The Boston Bruins will be without one of their top-line wingers for Monday’s matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Brad Marchand suffered a concussion Saturday night during a collision with Montreal Canadiens forward Dale Weise, head coach Claude Julien told reporters after Sunday’s Bruins practice. Marchand won’t play against the Lightning, and Julien offered no timetable for his return.
Julien also announced Sunday that the team had placed defenseman Matt Irwin on waivers. The 27-year-old struggled mightily in his first two games with Boston, posting a team-worst minus-5 rating as the Bruins dropped both contests. He was on the ice for three Canadiens goals (including an empty-netter) in Saturday’s 4-2 loss.
Irwin can be assigned to the team’s AHL affiliate in Providence if he is not claimed by noon Monday.
With neither Marchand nor Irwin participating in Sunday’s practice, the lines and pairings, as reported by the team, looked a bit different. Brett Connolly shifted from the third line to the first (with Loui Eriksson moving from right wing to left), and fourth-liner Chris Kelly joined the third, giving that group a much-needed defensive boost.
Either Zach Trotman or, more likely, Zdeno Chara will replace Irwin in Monday’s lineup. Julien deemed Chara, who has yet to play this season as he deals with an upper body injury, “questionable” for the Tampa Bay matchup.
Thumbnail photo via James Guillory/USA TODAY Sports Images
